You Earned It, Right?
by XxKonoha-DemonxX
Summary: Sakura Haruno is the thief everyone talks about and she wants the most heavily guarded and priceless diamond, and not to mention the biggest. But, in order to get it, she has to team up with Sasuke Uchiha, the most feared gang leader. SasuSaku oneshot!


You Earned It, Right?

A thief. That's all she was: a lying, dirty, cheating thief that worked for the lowest of the low. Not what you would expect out of a teenager, but that's how it was if you were an orphan who was trying to work off a debt that was put on your shoulders the moment your parents died. Being seventeen counts as being the difficult part of Sakura Haruno's life, especially if the man who was her employer was her "long forgotten uncle". Weird, right? You would think an uncle related to her father, a sweet, caring person, would act like a caring uncle, but NO! He left her on the streets, leaving her to fend for herself at the age of eight.

_'You would think it would be a little easier if I had actually listened to him when he said the walls were covered in barb wire,'_ Sakura hissed in her mind. At the moment, she was bandaging her hands as best as she could since they had been shredded by the barbed wire strung over the brick wall in front of her. The thief sighed and scaled the wall with her eyes. The owners had obviously had a problem like this before so they had taken it to the extreme. But this wasn't stopping the seventeen year old daredevil.

"Okay, you got this, Sakura, c'mon," Sakura whispered to herself. Swinging her arms back, she flung them back up and jumped up onto the branch of the tree she was under. Her hands stung with pain as fresh blood poured out of them, making her wince for the tenth time that day. She pulled herself up slowly, heaving her slim body onto the thick branch._ 'Ugh, this had better be worth the reward I'm getting from this.'_

The gigantic lawn stretched endlessly until it reached the mansion that it belonged to. Grinning like a cat, she pulled out a pair of binoculars and looked across the vast yard. _'Okay, booby traps in the east corner, mild land mines in the west corner, and simple net traps in the north and south where I am right now. This doesn't look too hard,'_ she reassured herself. Sakura pocketed the binoculars in her baggy jeans, completely aware she was being watched.

"Nagato, I'm perfectly fine by myself, thank you," Sakura whispered. A man a couple years older than her dropped down beside her, lounging back on the trunk of the tree. His long, black hair shaded his blue eyes as he stared at the danger-infested yard ahead of them. His tight, black t-shirt concealed the battle scars he had received from past "missions" but he took pride in them as if they were prizes he had won.

"It's not my fault Tashino was scared for you," Nagato's deep voice rumbled. He yawned loudly and Sakura stared at him in annoyance.

"Were you out late again?" she scolded. Nagato shrugged and folded his arms across his chest. "Were you visiting Sakaku again?" Her voice was soft as she asked him if he visited his deceased brother. Sakaku had died in a job that involved bombs and other explosives that went horribly wrong, but Nagato blamed himself for his death.

"Yeah. I told him how everyone was doing and how you always managed to not get caught," Nagato whispered. Shaking his bangs from his face, Sakura could see the dried tear streaks on his cheek and she could help but reach up and wipe his cheeks with her sleeve. He chuckled and grabbed her hand softly. "Stop that."

"I can't act like mother hen once an a while?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because the last time you did that I ended up having to get six stitches on my-"

"Okay, TMI!" Sakura laughed and looked ahead at the large mansion. Nagato laughed as well and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Well, I think it's time to get going."

"Be careful, Sakura. I'm serious," Nagato warned. Sakura rolled her eyes and stood up, giving him a mocking salute.

"Sir, yes, sir." With that, Sakura leapt off the branch, only to land on the top of the wall with grace. And then, she disappeared from his sight as she ran down it, the wind blowing her hair back and she smiled. _'What could go wrong on an easy mission like this?'_

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha, leader of the most prestigious gang in the country, snarled as he threw a knife at wall in front of him. Tonight would be the night he would infiltrate the most heavily guarded mansion in the world(or so people thought), but he was beyond pissed; he was infuriated. He had learned another group was after it, but that wasn't was made him angry. It was the fact that Sakura Haruno, a low class thief, was planning on stealing the same thing he wanted: the largest diamond in history. It had been found in an African mine a few weeks ago, but it had been sold to the same family he planned on plundering. Who in their right mind would go against _him_?

-Flashback-

_"I call this meeting to order," a guard exclaimed over the talking gang members and thieves alike. Sasuke sat at the head of the table, drumming his fingers on the wooden table impatiently, his chin propped in his palm. The thieves in the group looked nervous for some reason and he smirked to himself. Why wouldn't they be nervous? They were sitting around Sasuke Uchiha, the most dangerous man in America and no doubt the most feared._

_"Where is your leader?" Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke's right hand man, cried from beside him. An older man merely shrugged and flipped his black hair from his face, looking towards the door in boredom._

_"Knowing her, right about-" Suddenly, the door burst open and Sasuke was greeted by an interesting, yet annoying sight: a young girl around eighteen or seventeen stumbled into the room, a Burger King bag in her hand. "now." The girl straightened up and rubbed the back of her head nervously._

_"Sorry I'm late!" she apologized, never once looking at Sasuke. "You wouldn't believe the traffic!"_

_"Forehead!" a blond girl shouted. "Stop with the lame excuses! You're getting as bad as Kakashi." The pink-haired girl glared at her partner and stuck her tongue out at her._

_"You better put that tongue in before I get it first!" another girl, this time with black hair, shouted at the younger one._

_"Aw, Tashino!" the girl whined. "You're no fun anymore!"_

_"It's not my fault you are always late for this kind of thing," the older girl huffed._

_"Oh, shut up, you-" Suddenly, she stopped and turned to look at the older boy who had been talking before she burst in. "Nagato, take your gun away from Tashino's knee before I make you." Sasuke looked from her to the one she had called Nagato, who sighed and moved his hand from_ underneath_ the table and put his gun on it. This surprised Sasuke; 'How was she able to detect his movements from underneath the table?'_

_"Ha! That's what you get for almost shooting me again!" Tashino laughed._

_"Shut up, Princess," Nagato growled. The name seemed to irk Tashino and she growled at Nagato._

_"Don't call me that, you pyromaniac!"_

_"You are one to talk."_

_"Oh, nice comeback, dip wad! I should take a blowtorch to your skinny-!" It was at this moment Sasuke decided to clear his throat._

_"If you don't mind, I would like to get this thing started," he stated monotonously. The girl, who was obviously the leader, nodded briskly before sitting in her chair at the other end of the table. Before he could start talking about the matter at hand, there was crinkling and he looked up to glare at the girl who was taking the food out of the bag. She began stuffing her face with the fried chicken sandwich and had six fries in her other hand. Everyone stared at her, waiting to see if she would notice they hadn't started yet. Finally, the leader of the thieves looked up, her mouth full of food and she stared across the table at Sasuke._

_"Oh, sorry!" She held some food out to him, her mouth muffled with the excessive amount of food, and his eyebrow twitched. "Did you want any?"_

_"All I want it to get this meeting started. Nothing more," Sasuke growled. She narrowed her eyes and they dimmed for a split second before she swallowed all her food and placed her palm on her cheek, mimicking Sasuke._

_"You really don't have any sense of humor, do you, Sasuke Uchiha?" the girl asked, her voice void of any emotion. Sasuke's eyes widened as he stared at this girl. How was it she knew _his_ name, yet she was a complete mystery to him? "Because I'm smart like that." He jerked his head at her again, disbelief written in his eyes. _'Did she just read my mind?'_ The girl grinned like a cat and placed both hands under her chin. "No, I didn't just read your mind, Mr. Uchiha."_

_"Stop messing with me," Sasuke growled. "Who is this girl?" he asked Naruto who was laughing._

_"You don't know about her, Teme?" Naruto asked. "She is Sakura Haruno, the most talented thief in this country."_

_"Bingo! Give the good man a point!" Sakura exclaimed forming her hands into rocker poses. Then, her mood changed back to the emotionless copy of Sasuke. "Now, what do I have the pleasure of meeting you, Mr. Uchiha?"_

_"Just Sasuke would be nice," Sasuke said. Narrowing his eyes at her, he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on his chest. "I believe you and I have the same employer for this so-called 'mission' as you would call it."_

_"Yes, we do," Sakura purred while placing her hands under her chin again. "Now, how are we going to fix this?"_

_"I think we should just team up," Tashino sighed running a hand through her raven hair. Her dark, red eyes looked over at Sakura, who shrugged._

_"Tashino, I must say that is the most stupid idea I have ever heard of," Nagato breathed out. "We work alone in missions, not be accompanied by a gang as dangerous as Sasuke's."_

_"I personally think it's a some-what good idea," Sakura said. "But Nagato is right." Her eyes dimmed again and she bared her teeth at a memory. "Remember the last time we worked with a gang?"_

_"Something as dangerous as this requires more than four people, Miss Haruno," Sasuke scowled. "We are talking about a high class security system with booby traps and landmines on every square inch of the yard, and not to mention hounds the size of bears." It was silent as everyone processed the information, but their thoughts were interrupted as Sakura started laughing maniacally. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What's so funny?"_

_"Do you really think I need _your_ help with such a simple mission?" Sakura practically snarled. "You've underestimated me, Sasuke Uchiha. I may be a couple years younger than you at most, but I have more skills than you or any of your men combined."_

_"You might think that now, but once you see how dangerous this mansion is, I'm not going to be the one to-" Then, Sasuke found himself looking into the green eyes he had previously seen across the table from him. Sakura took him by the shirt collar and brought him onto the table on his knees, which throbbed painfully. No one dared to stand up against the two most powerful leaders in America, so they sat their on the edge of their chairs, hands gripping at the armrests._

_"Don't underestimate me, Uchiha," Sakura spat. "I've gone through a lot more shit that you ever have. I heard your entire family is gone. Mine too. I heard you have an uncle that is set out to kill you. Me too! Our freakin' employer is my uncle!" Sasuke's eyes were wide a fraction, but they settled back to the emotionless state they had previously been in. "And you just sit there with a smug look on your butt-ugly face that says 'I'm better than everyone' and you don't do a damn thing for anyone else but yourself. Learn to treat others like yourself, and I'll consider listening to you…"_

-End of Flashback-

Sasuke growled and stood up, his back to the door that was now opening to present the visitor. Naruto walked in, his hands behind his head leisurely as he stared at his boss and leader.

"Everyone is ready to go, Teme," Naruto drawled lazily. "And TenTen is gonna be pissed if she has to fix the wall again."

"I know," Sasuke hissed. His anger was still raw as he thought about Sakura's words three days before. His heart had been pounding oddly when her face had been so close to his. What kind of reaction would you expect him, a hormonal teenage boy, to act if a girl as hot as Sakura-WHOA! Sasuke shook his head fiercely and fixed his shirt, his face oddly red as he looked away from Naruto.

"Yo, dude," Naruto breathed. "Are you blushing?"

"No! Of course not!" Sasuke growled and turned to Naruto. "Just go and tell everyone to get ready." Naruto rolled his eyes and shook his head. _'Jeez, what's with Sasuke and his pride and ego?'_ he thought.

"Sir, yes, sir," Naruto said sarcastically and saluted. Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he placed his hand on his forehead.

"Just_…go,_ Naruto." The sly, blond teen grinned like a fox when he saw his plan to annoy Sasuke worked and he bounded from the room to warn the others to get ready for the raid. Once the door was closed, Sasuke rubbed his hot face with a shaking hand and walked over to the chair he had been sitting in and grabbed the black jacket off the back._ 'Time to get moving before they do.'_

Sakura sprinted across the lawn, avoiding the places she had studied on a map they had looked over. She jumped over one spot that held five land mines, having moved from the south wall to the west in under ten minutes. Smirking over so slightly, she imagined Sasuke Uchiha's face when she came out holding the precious cargo they both desperately wanted. According to her employer, he said there was something in a vault hidden in the office of the man who owned the mansion that he wanted. As soon as she had felt the spark in her chest, she took the job quickly, a little too quickly for anyone's liking, but who cared? They get what they want when she gets out of there with whatever is in there.

"Sa…ra," came a static voice through the headset hooked up to her ear.

"Sakura here. What ya got for me?"

"Knowing you, you're probably already close to getting inside. Sasuke and them are almost here, in fact Nagato saw them set up base right under the tree he's in. Nagato isn't going anywhere, so if you need help, I'll send Tashino in." So it must have been Ino talking to her.

"No, I can do it," Sakura said, her voice strained as she dodged a spot with a mine. "Just leave it to me and I'll have it finished before the others get in here."

"Sakura, you can't do this alone," a whispered voice said._ 'Nagato. Good, he's safe,'_ Sakura sighed mentally. Then, his statement came back to her.

"Nagato, yes I can," Sakura growled. "We've done something worse than this and-"

"And Sakaku gave his life for us." Nagato's whispering voice was surprisingly steady as he talked about his brother. Sakura gulped, a sheen of sweat on her forehead as she waited for him to continue. "Sakura, I can't lose another important person to me. Please, send for backup, you loser. Don't try to be all high and mighty for something we don't even know is really there." Sakura bit the inside of her cheek and hid behind one of the pillars that held the roof up. What if he was right: What if there really was no "precious cargo"? Sighing heavily, she raised a shaking hand to her head set…and turned it off. All those that were on the other line took their headsets away as a shrill beeping signaled they were disconnected.

"I'm going in!" Tashino cried.

"No!" Ino cried. Tears sprang to her eyes as she stared at her headset. "Let her do this." Nagato snarled and stood from the branch he was perched on and, despite their enemy right beneath him, jumped to the top of the brick wall. He heard their cries of alarm, catching Sasuke's eye, watching those dark eyes widened as he saw the tears running down his face. Then, he sped down the wall a ways and then jumped off, leaving a perplexed gang behind.

"Did you see that?" whispered TenTen, their weapons specialist. "He was crying!"

"Do you suppose something happened to Sakura?" Naruto asked. Sasuke didn't answer, his eyes still wide from Nagato's expression, one he knew too well: sadness, regret, and betrayal. Standing up from his squatting position, his eyes scaled the wall, seeing the barbed wires that twisted on the brick wall. "Teme?"

"Change of plans, guys," Sasuke murmured darkly. Turning to them, he said: "We're going in to help Sakura. Something isn't right in that house."

* * *

Sakura peeked behind a corner in the large house, eyeing the guards that framed the hallway and narrowing them dangerously. _'Someone obviously told the owner something was going to happen tonight, but now is not the time to be thinking about that. It's time to get down to business!' _The small girl pulled back against the wall and searched for any air vents in the walls, green eyes searching desperately. Finally, she saw it: a metal grate on the wall…on the other side of the hallway. She groaned silently and peeked her head around the corner, watching the guards doze off at their posts. _'Good guards, just a little more. Go to sleep like the tired men you are.'_

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard outside the mansion and the guards bolted awake from their doze and Sakura jumped a foot in the air, registering what that could have been made by. Then, she smirked when she saw a flash of blond hair go past a window.

"Naruto, that idiot," Sakura whispered and raced down the hall the guards had once previously occupied. Naruto had always had a fetish for blowing things up for fun, a pyromaniac, you could say. With his quick reflexes and knack for causing natural disasters, Naruto Uzumaki wasn't just chosen to be the right hand man to Sasuke Uchiha, and not to mention being Sasuke's best friend.

Slowing to a walk after about five minutes, Sakura took a look at her surroundings: a few expensive paintings here, a dab of intricate designs along the walls there._ 'What a bunch of snobs,'_ Sakura thought when she came upon a life-sized painting of the family who lived there. The children were dressed in dresses and/or suits while the adults were wearing the same thing as well, all their faces serious. She continued walking, but then broke out into another run when she thought she heard something following her.

And then, Sakura bumped into something solid as she turned a corner, gasping out as she began to fall, but she never hit the floor. Instead, Sakura was met with a mad voice above her.

"What the hell is your problem, Sakura?" a familiar, monotone voice asked, panic in it. Sakura glared and yanked her hand from Sasuke's grip.

"I'm trying to get the object we need!" she shouted back.

"Sakura, there's something not right in this mansion," Sasuke growled. "Your team is so worried they sent that girl Tashino and Nagato in after you." Sakura's eyes bugged out and she twirled around as if searching for her teammates. "Don't worry, I didn't bring them with me." The young thief glared back at him and faced him with a stiff body.

"Why did you come after me, Sasuke?" Sakura growled. "Don't you have your own team to take care of?"

"Like I said, something is wrong in this house. Haven't you noticed how heavily guarded all the floors are?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean-!"

"It's exactly what you are thinking! iSomeone told the owner that we were going to be stealing whatever we are suppose to steal!/i God dammit, Sakura, don't you get it? Your uncle wants you and I dead!" Sakura watched Sasuke breathe heavily after his explosion, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Before she could say anything back, there was another explosion that made them stumble, making Sakura fall into Sasuke and his arms immediately went around her to protect her as rubble from the ceiling fell on them. Once the shaking stopped, he let her go as she pushed at him, her face red.

"Sasuke, just leave this alone so I can do my job," Sakura murmured.

"It's my job, too, Sakura," Sasuke whispered. "Let's do this together, okay?" Sakura stared up at him with uncertain eyes, her hands wringing nervously as she considered the options. If she let Sasuke help her and they get the package together, then that means she has to share it with him, but if she goes alone, then all of it would be hers! A gleam went through her eye at the thought of bHER/b treasure being taken from her, which didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. He narrowed his eyes as Sakura grinned like a cat and saw her hands curl into fists tightly.

"Sasuke, get out of my way," Sakura hissed. "It's _my_ job! Just get your teammates and get out of here." She prepared to run around him, but Sasuke grabbed her arm harshly.

"Don't you _dare_ go anywhere, Sakura. If you run now, then there's no way I'm going to help you."

"I don't need your help anyway!" Sakura yelled and jerked her arm out of his grip quickly. "Just leave me alone!" And with that, Sakura dashed under his arm and ran down the hallway.

"Sakura! Wait!" Sasuke yelled after her, but she was already gone around the corner. Sasuke yelled out in anger and ran after her, his jacket making a snap as he rounded the corner. _'If you only knew, you idiot!'_

Sakura ran down the hall, ignoring Sasuke's shouts behind her. _'No! Don't follow me! If you're so worried about me, then just go away and do your own things! I'm not worth it, Sasuke!'_ She looked back and saw Sasuke several yards behind her, shouting for her to come back. Suddenly, she stopped when she saw a huge double door at the end of the hallway she was in and she grinned wildly.

"That's it!" Sakura shouted and sped down the hall, Sasuke right on her heels, having caught up quite quickly. The moment she got to the door was the moment Sasuke caught up with her and grabbed her arm in his grip.

"Sakura, stop it! You're acting like a spoiled brat!" Sasuke yelled at her.

"Let me go, Sasuke!" Sakura screamed. Suddenly, the whole house shook as there was another explosion and a horrible scream filled the air. Sakura knew that voice anywhere. "TASHINO!"

"Sakura, forget about whatever we're suppose to get and run for it! This place is going to collapse any time now! Naruto is planning on destroying this place as soon as we get out of here!"

"B-But we have to-!"

"NO! Get your ass out of here, you stupid idiot!" Before either could make a move, there was another explosion _inside the room_ and the door was blown off its hinges. Sakura screamed in horror as the wooden object flew at them at a great speed, covering her body in an effort to shield herself. Sasuke grabbed her and pulled her to the floor, shielding her with his body as splinters of wood came at them. Some shredded Sasuke's clothes, making him hiss in pain and blood trailed down his arm so that Sakura could see it.

"Are you okay?" Sakura cried grabbing his arm. Sasuke flinched and slowly took his arms from around her.

"Yeah. Don't worry, I've had worse," he told her. Sakura nodded and turned her head to look at the room that held the precious cargo, the door completely gone from the space. "What could have caused that explosion? Naruto is still outside." Sakura shrugged and stood up shakily, supporting Sasuke since he had been cut on his legs so he couldn't stand straight without falling.

"Sasuke, you had better go back now," Sakura murmured, her hair shading her face. Sasuke looked at her incredulously.

"What? No! I'm not letting you go in there without me, Sakura!"

"Sasuke, shut up! You're injured and I'm not letting you go in there!"

"Why not? Are you worried about my safety?" Sakura tensed and looked up at him with dim green eyes.

"I just don't want someone close to me die again," she sniffed. Sasuke felt his face get hot as she stared at him; _'I'm…close to her? I hardly even know her…'_ He sighed and moved his injured arm to his side.

"Fine, but if you aren't out in fifteen minutes, I'm coming in for you, do you understand?" Sakura smiled softly and nodded, reaching up on tiptoes and pressing her lips to his cheek, her hands on his arms to push herself up closer to him.

"Thank you, Sasuke. You don't know how much this means to me." Sasuke's eyes narrowed in embarrassment and he grunted in reply, taking his uninjured arm and wrapping it around her shoulder carefully.

"Don't make me come back in for you, okay?" he whispered. Sakura nodded and slithered out of his grasp and ran from his swiftly into the room where the object was kept. Sasuke rubbed the spot where Sakura had kissed him, turning his back on the room for a split second. _'Hormones,'_ he thought. _'That's all it is. Yeah, that's right: Hormones.'_

* * *

Sakura tiptoed into the room stealthily. She couldn't take any chances in being caught, especially since the group outside was sending bombs into mansion and she had approximately thirteen minutes left to get in and out before Sasuke came in for her. Hiding behind a pillar that stood in the middle of the expanding room, Sakura peered from behind it and her eyes widened when she saw several podiums with lights shining in them. Something in them glittered and she licked her upper lip in anticipation and pleasure. All these diamonds of every shape and size were hers for the taking, but it couldn't be that easy. No, something was off about this place.

Walking slowly, Sakura crouched low and stalked through the podiums, searching for the diamond that was supposedly the largest in the world. Since its discovery a few weeks ago, every thief and gang around the world has come to America to get it, but all had failed miserably. But Sakura was different: she was by far the youngest thief in the world that has ever stolen the most valuable things in the world.

_'What is this feeling?'_ Sakura thought. _'I don't like this.'_ Then, there it was: the podium that held the diamond. Sakura grinned maliciously and crept toward it, her hand inching closer and closer to it, and she flexed her hand so her nails barely touched it.

"SHIT!" Sakura cried as her hand shot back. Electricity licked at her hand again and she hissed in pain. "So, an electric barrier, huh?" she whispered. Rolling her neck, she extended her hand again and the electric current shot back at her. She knew she would be regretting this later, but who cared? That diamond would be hers, no matter what!

_'Are you stupid or something? Stop doing stuff for yourself and think about others for once!' _Sakaku's voice filled her head, the last words he had spoken to her before he was killed twenty minutes later, and Sakura pulled her hand back quickly. Sighing, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a pair of rubber gloves. _'I guess your right, Sakaku. I can't always be doing stupid things for myself. But, I promised my 'employer' that I would finish this mission. I'm sorry…everyone, but I must do this.'_

Sakura stretched her hand out again and the electricity licked at her gloved hand, curling up her arm and she winced when it burned through her skin. Her fingers enclosed around the diamond carefully and pulled away sharply just as there was a huge shock wave of voltage. It filled the space Sakura was in, but she did several back flips to get away from it, the large diamond sitting in her palm. Once the shock wore off, Sakura grinned and tossed the huge object in her hand.

"And they said there was no diamond," Sakura giggled. Suddenly, something grabbed her by the back of her collar and threw her across the room, the diamond's sharp exterior slicing through her hand roughly. She cried out as she hit the wall with a sickening crack, her skull cracking in the back. Her rib snapped under the pressure of hitting the wall and she coughed up blood on the floor.

"My pretty niece," a voice hissed from a few feet in front of her. Sakura looked up lazily and growled at her uncle as he stepped from the shadows. "You were actually able to get through the guards and booby traps? I'm impressed; you ARE my brother's daughter after all."

"Sasuke was right: You DID want us dead, you bastard," Sakura gasped.

"Yes, but too bad Sasuke wasn't here to see you die."

"He'll…come for me!" Sakura cried. "He promised! He said fifteen minutes and it's already been fourteen!"

"Don't count on it, my dear, for your death will be swift and painless." And her uncle charged at her to attack.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling he had in his chest; Sakura said she would be out soon, _but where was she?_ Ten minutes had already passed and Sakura was nowhere in sight, and here he sat getting his wounds treated. Naruto was still blowing bombs all over the mansion, getting a distraction from the guards that guarded the supposed diamond. Suddenly, something irked his instincts and he looked to the burning mansion. _'What was that? I thought I just felt an enormous energy spike come from the mansion.'_

"Sasuke?" He looked up to see the girl who worked with Sakura, Tashino, sitting in front of him with bandages in her hands. "Are you okay?" Sasuke pushed her hands away and leapt up quickly, ignoring the stabbing pains in his arms and legs.

"I'm going in after her," he said. "Something happened inside and I didn't like it."

"But you can't go!" Tashino cried. "Your wounds haven't been treated yet."

Sasuke whirled on her, his eyes a dangerous shade of red. "I don't care! I'm going in after her, whether I'm going to die or not!" With that, he ran off to the mansion, avoiding the booby traps and following the path he had taken from the mansion. Tashino watched him go with sad eyes and Nagato jumped down beside her from the tree he had been perched in.

"He's only met her once and he's like this?" Nagato asked. "It's outrageous…but I understand him. That's how I was like when Sakura and I first met. I hated her with a passion just because she took my prize, but I got to know her after just a few hours. She has that affect, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Tashino sighed.

* * *

Sakura slammed against the wall again, the crack in her head getting worse and blood flew from her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. Her uncle laughed maniacally and stepped towards her, a gun held in one hand and a knife in the other.

"T-This isn't_…fair,"_ gasped Sakura.

"Fair?" her uncle yelled. "Since when is life fair? My dear, you were to be the next head of our family's company, unlike me, the eldest of your father's siblings! A damn brat was chosen over ME! Since when has life been FAIR?" He raised the gun and pointed it down at her and her eyes widened as he clicked the safety off. Then, she grinned weakly.

"My father would have made a proper choice in picking me as the head, you know? I'm younger, smarter, and a lot more cunning than you."

"Sakura!" Sakura's uncle turned around in alarm and Sakura looked up in surprise, her eyes blinking through the blood and exhaustion. Sasuke stood there, his hands clenched into fists and his breathing was harsh, as if he had run the whole way. Sakura smiled faintly and raised a broken arm in greeting.

"Yo, Sasuke," she whispered out, blood running down her chin. Sasuke gasped for breath and he looked at their "employer". His eyes narrowed in anger as he stared at the older man and then at Sakura.

"Sakura…did he do this to you?" Sasuke growled. Sakura stared up at him in confusion and fear, and she nodded. "Okay, good. Now I can kill him without having any **REGRETS!**" Sasuke charged at him and tackled the older man, pinning him to the ground with his knees on his legs. Raising a fist, he slammed it into the man's face, breaking his nose in one powerful hit. Sakura jolted up quickly, completely ignoring her wounds and she got on her hands and knees.

"S-Sasuke…stop…" she murmured. Getting shakily to her feet, Sakura almost collapsed as she began walking over to him, a hand reached out to him as he mercilessly beat her uncle. "Sasuke, please…stop." Then, she broke out into a run towards Sasuke. "Sasuke!" She lunged at him and tackled him off her uncle, sending them both to the ground, Sakura on top of Sasuke's chest gasping for breath as pain shot up her body again and again. Sasuke eyes were wide as he stared up at the crumbling ceiling in confusion as Sakura held onto him tightly, her frail, broken arms around his chest. It wasn't until Sakura coughed up blood on his cheek did he move, putting his arms around her and pushing them up to where Sakura was practically in his lap, her head cradled in his arms.

"Sakura…" Sasuke murmured. Sakura looked up at him and smiled, blood rolling down her chin.

"I think…I broke a couple ribs, hehe…" Sakura gasped out. Sasuke chuckled without actually showing any enthusiasm and held her close.

"I knew I should have stayed with you," he whispered. Sakura shrugged weakly and placed her bleeding head on his torso.

"I can take care of myself, you big baby."

"And getting the crap beat out of you is showing me you can?" Sakura laughed shakily and closed her eyes, nodding slowly.

"Like I said…I can take care of…myself." Sakura's breaths came in gasps as she fought to breath right, her broken ribs making sick popping noises from under Sasuke's body. Sasuke started freaking out, holding onto her, then letting go because he thought he was crushing her, then trying to help her at the same time.

"Sakura! Don't you dare close your eyes on me," Sasuke exclaimed. "Stay awake!"

"Don't…tell me what…to do," Sakura gasped out. "But…I'm gonna do it…anyway…because," tears started to fall from her eyes and she gasped as she started to cry, "I have people…that I care about…so I can't die!" Sasuke stared down at her in awe, completely surprised that she could have enough strength to yell like that. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over them and Sasuke's eyes widened.

"How idare/i you," Sakura's uncle growled murderously. "How dare you fight for a girl like _her_, a good for nothing orphan who is wanted in every state and country." Sakura gripped onto Sasuke's shirt in both pain and grief and Sasuke glared up him.

"She's a better person than you will ever be, you bastard!" Sasuke whirled half his body around and pulled a gun from his belt loop, pointing it at the man. "Now, you'll let us go safely or I'll kill you right here, right now."

"You kill me? Ha, as if! This building is coming down because of your blond friend, so if you want to live, then you will do as I sa-" All of a sudden, his eyes widened when he felt a sharp pain go through his abdomen and he looked down slowly. A growing red stain coated his white shirt and he looked up, blood dripping down his chin from his mouth. Sakura's breathing came in harsh growls as she held Sasuke's gun with a trembling hand, the barrel smoking from the gun shot.

"How…dare _**you**_…threaten…my _friends_," Sakura growled. "Just **die** like the bastard you are!" Her uncle teetered and fell with a thud, blood pooling around his body immediately. Sakura fell back in Sasuke's lap with a wet cough, blood spraying up.

"Sakura, don't close your eyes!" Sasuke exclaimed. Sakura glared weakly at him and attempted to raise her hand to flick him off.

"Don't…tell me…what to do! I already know what I can…and can't do," Sakura gasped. Sasuke looked around them as the walls and ceiling shook from another explosive by Naruto.

"We have to get out of here," Sasuke said anxiously. "We need to get you medical help now!" Standing up painfully with Sakura in his arms, Sasuke began running to the exit, fully aware of the screaming voice in his ear; literally.

"Sasuke! Naruto's last bomb blew some support beams! You have to get out of there!" TenTen screamed.

"Can't you tell I'm trying?" Sasuke yelled back. "Sakura's been seriously hurt and I need to get her out of here safely. Give me the quickest way out now!"

"Wow, Sasuke. Did your brain get blown around from Naruto's explosives? Go through a window, you idiot!"

"What? We're three floors high! If this collapsing piece of crap doesn't kill us, the fall will!" Suddenly, the building shook and Sasuke stumbled forward, trying to keep his balance with Sakura in his arms. Sakura tightened her grip on his shirt, grabbing his attention quickly. Blood rained down her chin in rivers as her broken ribs were slowly killing her, suffocating her in her own blood. "Sakura!"

"G…Go…through…the win…window, Sa…Sasuke," Sakura barely managed to get out. Sasuke stared down at her with wide eyes before looking at the nearest window, watching the orange and yellow flashes of the explosions mingling with the approaching police force. He nodded shakily and gulped, stepping back until his back was pressed against the opposite wall. Sakura squeezed her hand on his shirt again, signaling she was ready even though she couldn't feel a thing with all the pain coursing through her body. Then, Sasuke ran and smashed through the glass, his back facing the outside and Sakura curled in his arms.

* * *

Nagato sighed as he sat in the hospital-like room, running a hand through his uncombed hair, the past few days catching up with him. _'Jeez, Sakura,'_ he thought with a sigh. _'How can you be so **stupid**?'_ He stared down at the girl in the bed, an IV sticking from her bandaged arm while her whole torso and lower body was wrapped in bandages. Sighing again but loudly, he looked at the other bed he sat by and watched as Sasuke breathed slowly while he slept.

The door opened behind him and Nagato turned around to look over his shoulder; Tashino stood leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest. She was smiling at the two sleeping leaders and she looked at him expectantly.

"How are they doing?" she whispered. Nagato shrugged and looked down at Sakura, a content smile on his face. She walked towards him with a frown. "She doesn't love you, you know?"

"I know, Tashino," Nagato growled. His expression softened as he continued to stare at her. "I know. Sakaku knocked that fairytale out of me before he died, saying Sakura didn't get involved with stuff like that. But…I think this is an exception."

"Did you see the way Sasuke held her when we found them?" Tashino laughed quietly. "He looked like a wild animal that was protecting its young!"

"Yeah, it was crazy." Nagato sighed once more and stretched, his back making popping sounds. "So, how's Naruto doing?"

"Oh, he's fine. A few burns here and there-"

"He set off a bomb that blew up a portion of the mansion with him right beside it."

"…So?"

"And you're not even _slightly_ worried about him? The one you were dating behind Sasuke and Sakura's back?" Tashino blushed angrily and in embarrassment and she turned in a huff, her arms across her chest again.

"Who was dating _**who**_ exactly?" a VERY pissed voice asked. The two froze, completely scared of who actually said that because Sasuke and Sakura sound the same when they are, again, VERY pissed. They turned around and saw BOTH Sasuke and Sakura staring at them, Sakura's eyes on fire as she stared at her comrades in anger and betrayal.

"U-Um, Sakura!" Tashino exclaimed. "You're up! And Sasuke, too!"

"Why didn't you ever tell me, Tashino?" Sakura pouted. "I thought we were friends."

"Aw, Sakura…" Tashino groaned. "We are friends, but would YOU tell a leader of thieves that you're dating the right hand man to an infamous gang leader? Especially if they're your enemies?"

"…True."

"Yeah. Well, Nagato and I are going to leave you two so you can…reminisce." Sakura raised an eyebrow and looked over at Sasuke, who was staring at her with searching eyes as the other two left hurriedly. The door closed and Sakura almost burst out laughing when there was a loud smack and a scream that sounded like: "OW!" Then, it was quiet as Sasuke continued to stare at Sakura and she began to fidget uncomfortably.

"Soooo, Sasuke…" Sakura started, her thumbs twirling around each other. She turned to face him with a fake smile. "How did you sleep?" Sasuke remained silent and Sakura blushed at his intense stare. Then, Sasuke yanked the IV out of his arm and got out of his bed, swinging his legs over the bed and walking over to hers. "S-Sasuke? Are you okay?" Now Sasuke stood over her bed, his hair shading his face so she couldn't see his expression. "Sasuke-AH!" Sasuke had bent down over her and wrapped his arms around her, grabbing her in a tight hug that left her breathless. He fell to his knees on her mattress and put his face in her collarbone.

"Y…You are so _stupid_, Sakura," Sasuke whispered in her ear. "Do you think you could have survived on your own if I hadn't come for you? Huh?" Sakura looked out the corner of her eye at him, her eyes wide, but she smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke," Sakura said. "I've done a lot of stupid things, but I think this just topped it all."

"You have no idea," Sasuke murmured. Sakura pouted and she made him pull back so she could look at him closely, and then she dropped her arms in her lap and looked down.

"Sasuke, I was prepared to die that night." Sasuke's eyes widened and he fell back on the bed, his mind blank.

"What? Why?" he exclaimed. Sakura sighed and looked out the window that was on her right side.

"You know what it feels like to have nothing right? You've lost your whole family, and so have I, but have you ever had the feeling of loneliness? Like you can't live without someone?" Sasuke just stared at her like she was crazy before he moved closer to her, but Sakura put an arm out to stop him and he immediately stopped about three inches from her.

"Sakura, I know how you feel," Sasuke said, his voice cracking. "When my family died, I wanted to kill myself. I got into a fight with my dad before he died and I had just stormed out of the house, my mother trying to call me back. I felt so _guilty_ when I found out because I should have been there with them…I should have died that night." Sakura narrowed her eyes in sadness as she watched Sasuke struggle with the memories. Reaching over, she put a bandaged hand on his and leaned forward, making Sasuke jolt back in surprise.

"No, I can tell you need comfort just as much as I do, Sasuke," Sakura reassured. "When Sakaku died, Nagato was always shut up in his room and we never knew what he was doing in there. I just assumed he was wallowed in his grief, but I soon found out what he was doing: he was planning his revenge. On a mission, he beat the leader of the group who had started the whole thing and it took me and Tashino to pull him off. Once we got him off and we were on our way home, Nagato started crying and I pulled him in my arms, almost as if I were his mother. He told me it was all his fault Sakaku had died, but I kept telling him it wasn't so. Do I have to do the same for you, too?"

Sasuke's eyes widened when Sakura grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him close to her, his head resting on her shoulder. Sakura chuckled lightly and looked up at the ceiling. "You know, it's okay to cry when you to, Sasuke, even when you're a macho gang leader." And Sasuke broke down right there. Sakura's eyes widened when she was pushed back and Sasuke was on top of her, bawling his eyes out in her shoulder. Tears formed in her eyes but she refused to let them out, having already embarrassed herself enough…even though she had cried when she was _**dying**_, but that didn't count.

Finally, Sasuke had calmed down enough to collapse on his side next to her, his face still in her shoulder. Tears still ran down his face, but his sobs had been reduced to nothing. Sakura suddenly started laughing and Sasuke looked up at her with glaring eyes.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Aw, man! That was so _embarrassing_!" Sakura laughed. "Sasuke Uchiha, the most feared gang leader in America, actually _cried_! I should have had a videotape in here!" Sasuke growled and rolled back over to where he was hovering over her on his hands and knees.

"Well, you weren't so high and mighty back in the mansion, now were you?" Sasuke countered. "Crying like a baby on the brink of death. Now what would people think of that?" Sakura blushed and folded her arms across her chest, pouting stubbornly. Sasuke laughed and leaned his head down and pressed it to hers, causing Sakura to start. "But, I'm glad you did. From what I'm told, Sakura Haruno never shows her emotions on a job, besides anger and bloodlust, but I'm glad I was the one who was able to break that."

"Wha-What?" Sakura stuttered. "Where did you learn that crap?" And then, Sasuke kissed her, his mouth folding over hers softly. Sakura's eyes widened, but they soon closed as she uncurled her arms from her chest to wrap them around his neck, pressing herself closer to him. A growl rumbled from his chest and Sasuke went down on his elbows so he could get as close to Sakura as possible. Sakura moaned softly and ran her hands through his hair, knotting her fists into it, making Sasuke growl again. His hands went to her hips softly, aware of her injured body and how much pain she was probably going through. Much to Sakura's disappointment, Sasuke pulled away and smiled down at her.

"Sakura, you're a strong girl. I like that, but you're in pain right now, and I don't feel like causing you any more. Do you get what I'm saying?" Sakura nodded and smiled up at him, her hands going from his hair to his neck again.

"Yeah, I get it…but can we keep the whole crying thing a secret?" she asked.

"Hmmm, I don't know. I think I should go tell your team right now. How does that sound?"

"Y-You bastard!"

"Ah, that makes me want to tell even more."

"I-If you tell, then I'll tell them about you!"

"You wouldn't dare-"

"Oh, NARUTOOOO!"

* * *

"So, that's what happened," Sakura finished, the wind blowing her hair to the side. There was no answer, but she expected this and she squatted in front of the grave stone. "Hey, Sakaku, I know you saw what happened at the mansion, and you're probably cussing me out and scolding me right now." Sakura laughed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I can almost see it: you yelling at me because I did something stupid; shaking your fists as Nagato or Tashino would hold you back; everything. Well, I'm sorry, Sakaku. I'm sorry for doing reckless things over the past few weeks. I'm sorry…I'm sorry I can't anything else to apologize for."

Sakura sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve, breathing heavily. "Nagato, Tashino, and Ino say hi and they're sorry they couldn't see you today. Some things came up and I'm late as it is, so I'll see you later, okay?" The wind was the answer, blowing the blossoms from the trees and Sakura inhaled deeply, her eyes closed contently. Suddenly, a hand fell on her shoulder and she looked up, smiling when she saw who it was.

"You ready to go, Sakura?" Sasuke asked. "We **do** have a mission today."

"Yeah, I know," Sakura whispered as she looked back at the grave. "I was just saying hi to an old friend was all." Sasuke nodded and turned his back to walk away, Sakura standing up and placed something in the hole she had made in the dirt. Once she was satisfied, she turned her back on the grave, smiling down at it.

"Good job, buddy." And Sakura ran off after Sasuke, the diamond glittering in the sun. "You earned that, right?"

The end


End file.
